Vince Avedon – 9/10/06

This page was last updated on September 10, 2006.

Bush has failed GOP; Vince Avedon; Beaver County Times; September 10, 2006.

As you read this, remember Mr. Avedon once wrote that a high school student who showed interest in enlisting in the Marines as a “was probably brought up to be a two-faced traitor to his country.”

My guess is this letter is another lame attempt to trick conservatives into sitting out the November election by telling them the Republican Party doesn’t represent their positions.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Quite frankly, I’m getting sick and tired of people like (letter writers Bob) Wakefield and (Paul) Dici, who in their views, insinuate that Democrats are un-American and pro-terrorist.”

[RWC] While you can make that argument for Mr. Dici’s letter (which I critiqued), I don’t see how you can do so for Mr. Wakefield’s.

“It’s people like them that make me dig my heels in deeper. They exemplify exactly what’s wrong with the Republican Party.

“I’m tired of the right-wing extremists defining Republicans as a bigoted, hateful, intolerant party.”

[RWC] If you’ve read Mr. Avedon’s letters over the years, you know he has gall referring to anyone as “bigoted, hateful, [and] intolerant.” I believe this comment is an example of projection.

“That is not what the Republican Party stands for. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Santorum, Hart, and Rove do not represent the soul of conservatives. These are the people who have stolen the party.”

[RWC] “That is not what the Republican Party stands for?” That’s not what Mr. Avedon wrote in a June 2005 letter.

“Republicans are not moving away from the party. The party is moving away from Republicans.”

[RWC] This sentence would be correct if Mr. Avedon had used “conservatives” instead of “Republicans.” Just as the Democrat Party, the Republican Party is moving to the left. Today’s Republican Party is getting close to the JFK-era Democrat Party.

“They are being taken over by a government marked by a centralization of authority, suppression of the opposition through intimidation and censorship, and a policy of belligerent nationalism. Little do they know this is the definition of fascism.”

[RWC] Why should Mr. Avedon object? Everything he cited is part of liberalism, Mr. Avedon’s side of the economic, political, and social spectrum.

By the way, why didn’t Mr. Avedon provide examples of his accusations?

“Republicans have failed to hold the line on spending and failed in advocating Reagan’s balanced-budget amendment.

“Bush is spending $2.47 trillion each year. Adjusted for inflation, that’s 50 percent larger than the big-government Clinton era budgets of only a decade ago.”

[RWC] These are crocodile tears. Conservatives aren’t happy about this, but I believe Mr. Avedon is. Just ask him where he would cut spending.

“How can Republicans be angry because Clinton balanced the federal budget for the first time in 30 years and cut the deficit to zero? How can Republicans be angry because Clinton had cut the size of government?”

[RWC] Of course, Mr. Avedon forgot to mention the Republican-majority Congress that approved the budgets.

I believe Mr. Avedon is double dipping. By definition, if you “balance the federal budget,” you “cut the deficit to zero.” I believe Mr. Avedon is trying to convince us Bill Clinton eliminated the federal debt, which would be untrue.

“I am tired of seeing the Republican Party dividing Americans. Perhaps they will realize that after the November elections. Perhaps they won’t.”

[RWC] This is hysterical. Democrats/liberals live by grouping people by ethnicity, race, sex, wealth, et cetera, but Mr. Avedon claims “the Republican Party [is] dividing Americans.” Remember, the Black, Hispanic, et cetera caucuses in Congress are all liberal groups.